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AUGUSTA – The start of the Third annual Pride Film Festival at the Michael Klahr Center had to be postponed because of a campus emergency on Oct. 8 and has been rescheduled to begin Thursday, Oct. 15, and continue every Thursday at 7 p.m. until Nov. 5, according to a news release from the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine.

AUGUSTA — The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, the UMA Diversity Committee, and Katz Library will present the 2015 Pride Film Festival at the Michael Klahr Center at 7 p.m. Oct. 15, 22 and 29 and Nov. 5.

The Pride Film Festival was created three years ago by a group of individuals on the campus of the University of Maine at Augusta with the goal of showing films that encouraged discussion and celebration of the LGBTQ community in central Maine, according to a news release from the Human Rights Center. All films are free and open to the public. Snacks and refreshments are provided, and a discussion is held following each film.

The 2015 festival begins on Thursday, Oct. 15, with the showing of Pride (2014). One of the surprises of the Cannes Film Festival, and winner of the Queer Palm Award, The Guardian called Pride “Impassioned and lovable.” Set in 1984 in a small mining village in Wales, the film is the story of a group of gay and lesbian activists who raise money to assist striking British mine workers and their families. The National Union of Mineworkers is reluctant to accept the support in fear of being associated with an openly gay group, so the activists go directly to one of the hardest hit villages where the strike has affected nearly every family. The New Yorker called it “Brilliantly Entertaining.” Pride is 119 minutes and is rated R, according to the release.

The film for Thursday, Oct. 22, is Transamerica (2005). Felicity Huffman delivers a tour-de-force performance as a pre-operative transsexual named Bree (whose given name was Stanley). One week before going under the knife, Bree learns that she fathered a boy who is now 17 and is in trouble with the law in New York. The two strangers take a cross country trip to LA and their lives are changed. “It’s funny in spots, touching in others and uniformly life-affirming.” Minneapolis Star Tribune. Transamerica is 103 minutes and is rated R.

Political hypocrisy is the theme of the film on Thursday, Oct. 29. The documentary Outrage (2009) by Kirby Dick recounts some of the most famous examples of anti-gay advocates caught in situations that revealed that political will sometimes isn’t related to personal inclination. Outrage premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival before being released theatrically and was immediately denounced by former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, one of the film’s subjects. Outrage was nominated for a 2010 Emmy Award, and won Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival’s jury award for best documentary. “A powerful, disturbing, and significant film.” LA Times. Outrage is 88 minutes long and is unrated, but deals with sexual topics.

The annual Pride Film Festival always ends with a party, and this year’s party will be on Thursday, Nov. 5, with Wigstock: The Movie (1995). During the 80s and 90s, Wigstock was a Labor Day staple of New York’s East Village. The annual drag show featured the most famous drag performers in the country. Barry Shills’ documentary captures the performances and behind-the-scenes adventures of the event, and features a fantastic soundtrack. Included in this film is an unforgettable performance by Ru Paul at the peak of his popularity, according to the release. This final film of the festival will end with a party and those who are attending are encouraged to dress up, or cross-dress up in your most fun outfit. The New York Times called Wigstock “good-natured, campy fun.” Wigstock runs 85 minutes and is rated R.

All films are free and will be shown at the Michael Klahr Center, 46 University Drive. For more information, visit hhrcmaine.org or call 621-3530.


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